help with angels

beth

beth

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K

krebs11

Member
I don't understand if that system isn't no good then why do the sell it. I have 400 in that, that really upsets me. What do I need and how much is it.
 
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beth

beth

Administrator
Staff member
krebs11 said:
I don't understand if that system isn't no good then why do the sell it. I have 400 in that, that really upsets me. What do I need and how much is it.
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I'm not saying its no good. I'm saying it sounds like you have a wet-dry system? Those type of filters have excellent qualities for filtering water but they also have drawbacks and leaving nitrates behind in the aqua is their big drawback. I'm going to post an article here that explains this type of system. Pay attention to the last section of the article (Bio-Material Maintenance) as that is what I am suggesting needs to be done.

Your other choice is to have fish that are not so sensitive to nitrates (excluding tangs and angelfish, for instance).

http://www.aquariumfilterguide.com/freshwater/wet-dry-filters
 
K

krebs11

Member
So slowly take out the bio balls and what do I replace them with? LR? If so how much I have I have 2 chambers of bio balls, is there there anything else I can use besides LR I want to make it a refugium for copods also to feed my mandrin
 
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beth

beth

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I would just take out the bioballs and let water just circulate through the pumps. Once you taken them out then add LR or LS. If you add lighting, you can start to set up a macro algae refugium.
 
K

krebs11

Member
I read that wrong lol I'm just not sure if my tank has cycled all the way its been 6 months I still have a little nitrites for some reason
 
K

krebs11

Member
I have one more question Kinda not on the subject but might as well ask. My water stays a milky white haze. I have had brown diatoms for a couple months. How can I get this fixed. If I scrape it all off during my next water change will the water clear up?
 
pegasus

pegasus

Well-Known Member
The API test kit (on top of the tank) is probably the reason you are seeing nitrites. API is not a reliable test kit. It's known to be inaccurate, and once it gets old, it's very inaccurate. If the tank has been up for 6 months, and you've had fish in it for awhile, there should be no ammonia or nitrite... only nitrate. As for the milky water... what salt mix are you using? How often do you change the water, and how much? How long do you let the new water mix before doing a water change? Are any of the fish stirring up the sand?
 
beth

beth

Administrator
Staff member
Try using a water clarifier such as AccuClear or Kent Marine Tank Clarifier.
 
K

krebs11

Member
I have one more question I am changing it into the sump when. Doing this should I keep the filter pads above where the bio balls we're or should I take them out and should I just put a sock around the sump pump where it is sucking it back into the tank. I want at lease one of the 2 to keep bigger particles out of the water
 
beth

beth

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IMO, better not to use bioball or filter pads. They tend not process nitrates and the accumulation of waste in the media generates more nitraties.
 
beth

beth

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Staff member
Its a choice you need to make about having a wet-dry system, or using mechanical filters. I prefer natural filters such as live rock, live sand, refugium. If you want to use the sock, I'd clean it up every few days. Remember that a sock will also cause the pump to work less efficiency since it blocks water intake. So will debris on the sock.

Also, is your rock work on the right side of that pic piled up against the tank wall?
 
beth

beth

Administrator
Staff member
It will be difficult to keep glass cleaned in that area, and, it may also be a challenge to keep good water flow going through there.
 
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